Schedule of Classes
262.7 sec. 1 - International Development and Law (Fall 2009)
Instructor: Stephen Golub (view instructor's teaching evaluations)
View all teaching evaluations for this course
Units: 3
Meeting Time: M 6:20-9:00
Meeting Location: 10
The international community spends hundred of millions of dollars per year to strengthen legal systems, law reform, human rights and the rule of law in developing and transitional societies across the globe. This course considers a number of questions relevant to these efforts. The questions include:
• What assumptions underlie this assistance?
• Which efforts and strategies are having any impact?
• How do we know whether they are making any progress?
• What roles do lawyers, non-lawyers, politics and culture play?
• How do and should law-oriented efforts relate to programs in other development fields (e.g., gender, natural resources, public health)?
The course explores such questions by scrutinizing various efforts to strengthen legal systems and services in a number of countries. A core focus is on international funding agencies and strategies that aim to advance poverty alleviation, access to justice, the rule of law and related priorities. But this inevitably includes consideration of the government institutions, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and citizen groups that receive international aid or that otherwise play key roles in whether and how development occurs. The focus accordingly includes legal services NGOs that assist and build the capacities of women, minorities and other disadvantaged populations. It also embraces initiatives ranging from judicial strengthening projects to work with traditional justice systems. The course is less concerned with law reform per se than it is with how law-oriented strategies can help improve the lives of the poor and otherwise advance development.
The aims of the course are:
• to promote students’ understanding of and thinking about the field of law and development,
• to introduce students to potential career paths and the skills involved, and
• for all participants (including the instructor), to learn from each other’s perspectives and experience.
The discussions will draw on academic and professional literature, guest speakers (depending on their availability), the backgrounds of any class members with relevant experience, and the instructor’s own experience and writings. While enrollment will be limited, students from outside the law school are encouraged to apply in order to promote a diversity of perspectives.
The main requirement of the course will be a final research paper on a topic that each student selects with the guidance and approval of the instructor. However, each student also will be required to make an in-class presentation on a relevant book or article that s/he selects, also with the instructor’s guidance and approval. Class participation will also be considered in grading students.
The course instructor, Stephen Golub, is a lawyer and consultant who has headed research and consulting teams for the Ford Foundation, the Asian Development Bank, the Asia Foundation, the U.K. Department for International Development and the U.S. Agency for International Development. He has also worked with the Open Society Institute, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the World Bank, the U.N. Development Programme, human rights groups, and numerous other organizations. Mr. Golub has authored approximately numerous published papers, chapters and reports on law, development, NGOs and human rights.
Prerequisites:
The instructor will select students for enrollment in the course and for its waiting list. To apply to enroll in International Development and Law, please prepare a statement of no more than 500 words, explaining why your career direction, professional background and/or personal background make taking the course of interest to you. (The 500-word limit will be strictly enforced, in that any words exceeding that amount will not be considered.) While international interests and background will be given strong consideration, this does not preclude consideration of students with primarily domestic backgrounds or career directions. Please email your statement to Stephen Golub at Sjg49er@aol.com.
New - Submit Teaching Evaluations (enrolled students only)
Exam Notes: P/TH
Special Notes: LE(18)
Course Category: International and Comparative Law
Course Subcategories:
Law and Society
Public Law and Policy
Social Justice and Public Interest
If you are the instructor, you may add a file like a syllabus or a first assignment to this page.
Books:
No books found for this course. Please always double check with your instructor.
